|
Joy Tang, heads the oneVillage initiative and was formerly
a Cisco Fellow. She is joining the AcrossWorld Team.
Her work will focus on developing a whole systems approach
to sustainable development that includes ICT and is
focused on providing capacity building services for
underserved communities.
oneVillage Approach and Methodology
This program consists of the oneVillage Initiative:
which is geared towards empowering people in underserved
communities through a confidence building process that
includes storytelling and the promotion of indigenous
cultural expressions. Included in this initial process
is the field agent, who in addition to recording stories
will do an inventory assessment of existing assets and
resources, and also a determination of both immediate
and long term needs. Central to this Initiative is the
development of innovative approaches to ICT which enable
field agents to rapidly access information relevant
to research, networking and funding.
As the initiative gains momentum a secondary component
kicks in, the social enterprise phase of local capacity
building--oneVillage.biz—is initiated. This consulting
and implementation entity guides the formation of new
economy by unleashing the human potential to create,
connect, communicate, collaborate and to cultivate our
capacity to appreciate the cultural diversity worldwide.
oneVillage.biz Consulting Services:
1. Evaluation of projects
2. Improvement of funding selection and organizational
management processes
3. Businesses incubation
4. Planning and organizational services
5. Selection and training of the enterprise-building
trainers.
Projects
Below is a list of three projects which she
will focus on as an AcrossWorld Fellow:
1. Silicon Valley Voice—Moving Towards WSIS 2005
in Tunis
a. WSIS Silicon Valley was a convergence of people in
the Silicon Valley community who came together in a
series of meetings in 2004 to discuss effective ways
to overcome the digital divide.
i. Outsourcing threatens the prosperity that many in
Silicon Valley have come to take for granted
ii. Urban growth and development patterns that have
come to define Silicon Valley are being questioned in
relation to their social and ecological sustainability
iii. Digital divide is exacerbating economic inequality
in the world
b. Joy as an AcrossWorld Fellow is expanding on WSIS
Silicon Valley working with community and business leaders
to develop a consortium to obtain funding towards the
implementation of sustainable development model that
is based on the oneVillage Initiative:
i. This model of collaboration is a based on a win/win
framework where people work together instead of competing
with people who share their values and ideals
ii. Plan whole systems, in response to whole systems
iii. Reorganize funding system to encourage collaboration
and the pooling of resources to develop funding pools
where people collaborate with each other
iv. Use ICT to share best practices both globally and
efficiently - with people in similar environments
learning quickly from each other, and applying and refining
the lessons locally
c. Implement Solutions through the development of business
incubation centers here and in other parts of the world:
i. Overcome the digital divide and provide technology
integration solutions for the developing world
ii. Showcase prototype approaches and technologies at
the upcoming World Summit on Information Society in
2005 at Tunis.
iii. Publish literature that summarizes our findings
and the development of effective methodologies geared
to the changing dynamics of the new “integration”
economy.
2. The African Virtual University (AVU) is an educational
program helping to empower Africans, particularly at
the grassroots specializing in: e-learning, community-building
and bridging the digital divide.
a. Identify and invite Silicon Valley participants into
AVU.
b. Enhance learning experiences through ICT
c. Create a platform to expand online learning experiences
with hands-on training and educational services in the
field.
3. The e-Recycling Program. This program stimulates
the development of markets associated with the resale
of computer hardware in emerging markets.
a. Approach eRcycling with holistic solutions both locally
and globally
b. eRecycling solutions as a way to bridge digital divide
c. Create a system of networks to ensure “end
to end” complete cycle recycling
|